Applicants must be Indiana residents and be 18 years old by Nov. 18, 2013, and possess at least one valid Indiana deer license. Apprentice and private preserve licenses are not applicable. Each person may apply only once for each state park deer reduction effort, regardless of primary or buddy status. All applications sharing duplicate names will be disqualified.

Biologists determine which parks require a reduction based on habitat recovery and previous harvest data.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first state park deer reduction hunt in Indiana.

“Though browse lines and skinny deer remain in the past, less obvious damage persists and requires our close attention and management,” said Mike Mycroft, chief of natural resources for DNR State Parks & Reservoirs.